Electric storage battery



M y 1944. A. SETZER 2,349,763

ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERY Filed Feb. 4, 1941 8 biau br: 3 11591"? Jber 3/E L j" I V units carried by trial balloons.

are, quite extensively used for weather observa- Patented May 23, 194-4UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERY Albert Setzer,North Scituate, R. I.

Application February 4, 1941, Serial No. 377,325

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to electric batsecondary wet cell typecommonly known as storage batteries;

The battery illustrated and described herein is adapted for various usesand particularly suited for supplying electric current to radio sendingtions and are adapted to carry a. radio unit to the extreme altitude offifteen or twenty miles.

During the ascent of a trial balloon the radio sending unitautomatically transmits signals indicating such data as temperature,relative humidity and the like at 'diflerent altitudes. At,a criticalheight for the particular balloon the latter bursts and the radiosending unit and battery descend and are only rarely recovered.-

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an electricstorage battery which is extremely small/ and compact, of light weight,and economical to manufacture to adapt it for I use with trial balloons.

Another object of the invention is to-provide a battery of the typeindicated in which the series of cells are spaced from each other topermit the escape of any overflow of electrolyte between the cells toprevent short-circuiting of adjacent cells.

Another object of the invention is to provide a battery of the typeindicated in which the cell'- jars are joined by integral straps orrails to provide a unitary structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a battery of the typeindicated in which the positive electrode of one cell and the negativeelectrode of an adjacent cell are formed as a unitary structure adaptedto be slid into proper relationship in adjacent cell-jars;

Still another object of the invention is to provide a battery of thetype indicated in which the electrolyte may be supplied to the cells bycapillary attraction.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecification which describes several forms of construction of thebattery, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a full scale plan view of a battery incorporating the novelfeatures of the present invention:

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1showing the triangular form of the rail connecting the cell-jars of eachrow;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewtaken on line 33 of Figv 1showing the rails for connectteries and more particularly to batteriesof the Trial balloons ing the ends of the rows of cell-jars to form aunitary structure;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of several adjacent cell-jarsshown partly in section and illustratingthe manner of applying thepositive and negative electrodes to adjacent cells;

Fig. 5 'is'a partial plan view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified formof construction of the battery casing;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on H line G-6 of Fig. 5showing a row of cell-jars positioned above the supporting rail for therow;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 1--| of Fig. 5showing the supporting rails for the rows of cell-jars connectedby longitudinal side rails to, provid a unitary battery casing; and

/Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pair of adjacent cell-jarsof modified construction for adapting the electrolyte to be suppliedthereto by capillary attraction.

Heretofore, batteries usedwith trial balloons have usually been of theprimary dry cell type which have the disadvantage of rapid deteriorattion or short shelf-life. For instance, during the time necessary totransport dry cell batteries to outlying possessions, such as Alaska,Hawaii, Panama Canal Zone or the like, the batteries are usuallycompletely exhausted. Furthermore, dry cell batteries used with trialballoons have a limited capacity and are not dependable, especially atthe low temperatures to which they are sub- J'ected.

Wet cell storage batteries have also been used with trial balloons, butonly to a limited extent because of their excessive weight and cost andfurther due to the fact that when the cells are made extremely small andconnected in series they do not give the additive voltage of theplurality of cells. The present invention resides in part in providing astorage battery of minimum size, extreme compactness and light weight toadapt it for use with trial balloons; and further in overcoming thedefects which cause the cells to be short-circuited when the battery isof such cells is eliminated. .It has been determinedthat by properproportioning the parts of the battery it can be made of suflicientcompactness and of 'minimum weight to adapt it for use with trialgreater capacity than adry cell battery of the sam weight and voltage.

Figs. 1 to 420i the drawing illustrate a unitary battery frame 2comprising flverows of cell-jars 3 with ten jars in each. row. Eachcell-jar 3 is preferably of rectangular form with thin side walls 4, arelatively thicker bottom wall 5 and an open top. see Fig. 3. Thecell-jars3 of each row are connected to each other by integral ribs 6 atthe bottom thereof which. together with the bottom walls ofthe cells,constitute rails ext-ending longitudinally throughout the entire lengthor the row. 'The ribs 6 hold the cell-jars 3 of each row in spacedrelationship to prevent any electrolyte which may creep up the .sidewalls i oi the 'cell-'jars frombridging and short-circuiting adjacentcells. The cell-jars 3 are spaced from each other'at such a. distance asto prevent the electrolyte from bridging between the side walls ofadjacent cell-jars by surface tension. -Preferably,'the connectingribsGare of triangular vform in cross-section to provide inclined sides Iand- 8, seeFig. 2, to quickly drain any electrolyte which mayescape fromthecells. In other words, any electrolyte overflowing from a celljar'3,.instead of bridging adjacent cells,'will run down the dutsidewallthereof and drain otfiro the inclinedsides I and! of the ribs '8.

As illustrated in the present drawing, the ribs 8 project beyondthe-endmost cell-jars 3 of the severalrows andare connected by integraltransverse rails 9 at opposite endsof the rows to provide a unitaryself-supporting frame 2 of fifty cell-jars. In some instances thetransverse rails 8 maybe formed as integral ribs connecting thecell-jars inthe lateral 'rows in a manner similar tothe ribs 6forlconnecting the longitudinal rows. The transverse rails 9 are soarranged as to position the cell-jars 3 in laterally spacedrelationshipso that all of the cell-jars are spaced from each other bothlongitudinally and laterally. The battery frame may be constructed ofany suitable acid-resistant plastic material, such as thatknown by thetrademame polystyrene," and is preferably pressed between suitable .diesto its final form in a single operation.

The adjacent cells of each row are electrically 58 connected by a jumperor couple I2 comprising a positive electrode I3 for one cell and anegative electrode I4 for the adjacent cell with a looped connectingstrap I5 extending between the electrodes. The electrodes I3 and I4 maybe made of any suitable combination of I dissimilar metals, butpreferably they comprise the usual combination or sponge lead andleadoxide in the form of pasted plates which are immersed in an acidelectrolyte. Although the couples I2 may be made in any'suitable mannethey are preferably cast in a unitary structure. The couples I2 are ofsuch dimensions that the positive and negative plates I3 and I '4vfltinto the cell-jars3 withtheir edges frlctionally engaging the sidewalls thereof and the couplesare applied-in proper position by merelyslldingethem into adjacent cell-jars until the connectingfstraps I5 seaton the top edges of the side walls 4 thereof or in suitable notchestherein. Preferably, the electrode plates I3 and quantity of theelectrolyte to the jars.

and connecting strap cast in a common plane to adapt them to bridge thelaterally adjacent celljars, see Fig. 1. In the end cells of the batteryone positive plate I3 and one negative plate II are provided withterminals I1 and I8 connected thereto. Thus, all of the cells areconnected in series to forms. battery.

Separators 25 of wood .or other suitable absorbent material are providedin each cell to retain the electrolyte and positively hold the positiveand negative plates 53 and I4 of each celi in spaced relationship. Inother words, the electrolyte in the form of a weak acid solution is heldin mechanical suspension by the plates I3 and i4 and the separators 25'whereby tc eliminate surplus acid which might escape through the opentops of the cells. Thus the possibility of seepage or spilling ofelectrolyte and short-circuiting of the cells is further reduced. Oneform of the invention having been described in detail its mode jars andthe separators 2| between the plates in each cell. The assembled batterymay then be transportedto its destination where it is to be used. Whenthe battery is to be attached to a trial balloon the liquid electrolyteis inserted in each of the cell-jars andabsorbed by the positive andnegative plates I3 and I4 and separators 2|, care being taken to preventsupplying a surplus When dry charged plates are used the introduction ofthe electrolyte renders the battery immediately available to provideelectric current for the radio or other apparatus with which it is to beused.

'If drycharged plates are not used the battery is cycled in .a chargingapparatus to charge the plates I3 and I4 after the electrolyte issupplied to the cells. Thus the battery incorporating the novel featuresof the present invention is adapted to operate with maximum efilciencyand capacity in remote locations where the ordinary dry cell batterycannot be used because of deterioration during transport. Furthermore,the storage battery of the present invention is more efficient andreliable in use with trial balloons at any location because of itsgreater capacity. Due to the spacing of the cell-jars the problem ofshortcircuiting adjacent cells is practically eliminated.

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 illustrate a modified form of battery frame in whichthe cell-jars are maintained above the supporting structure to furtherfacilitate the escape of any overflow of electrolyte and thereby reducethe possibility of short-circuiting adjacentcells. With the frameconstruction 29 illustrated in Figs. 5. 6 and 7 each cell-jar 30 issupported hya stem 3| depending from the bottom of the cell-jar andjoined to a transverse rail 32 for supporting a row of the jars. Thelateral rows of cell-jars 30 are connected by longitudinally extendingrails 33 joined to the projectin ends of the rails 32 of theseveralrows. stated above with respect t0 the form of the battery irameillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the longitudinally extending rails 33 maybe located directly under the end cell-jars of each row instead of beinglaterally spaced therefrom to further reduce the weight and dimensionsof the casing. In this form of construction the adjacent cell-jars 30 ofeach row may be electrically connected by the couples i2 and the endcells of each row joined by couples ii in the same manner as explainedabove with respect to the first-described form of casing. The completebattery is adapted to be used in the same manner as the batteryillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of construction of the cell-jars 40for facilitating theoperation of supplying electrolyte thereto andpreventing overfilling, A series of the cell-jars 40 may be joined toeach other in spaced relationship by rails 4i to provide rows and therows of dam connected in the manner illustrated and described in Figs. 1to 4 or 5 to 7. The adjacent cell-jars 40 of each row are connected bycouples i2 and in this form of construction the upper edges of the sidewalls of the cell-jars have notched recesses 42 to receive the loopconnecting straps ii. The plates i3 and II in each cell are held inspaced relationship by a separator 44. As an added feature the cell-jars40 have extensions 44 depending below the supporting frame structurewith central openings 45 which extend into the interior of thecell-jars. The opening 45 of each cell-jar 4B is of a length and widthequal to the width and thickness of the separator 43 to adapt it toreceive the lower portion thereof. The separators 43 are composed of asuitable absorbent material and extend from a position slightly abovethe top of the plates ll and i2 downwardly below the lower ends of theplates to a point adiacent the bottom of the slots or openings 45 in theextensions 44.

With the form of cell-jar construction illustrated in Fla. 8 theseparators 43 act as wicks to draw the acid electrolyte upwardly intothe cells by capillary attraction. To this end a separate filling tray46 is provided having a series of compartments '41 for holding aquantity of the acid electrolyte and the compartments are so arranged asto receive the reduced extensions 44 of the cell-jars which fit closelytherento. Thus by placing the battery on the tray 46 with the lower endsof the separators 43 immersed in the electrolyte the latter is drawn upsimultaneously into all oi! the cell-Jars by capillary attraction to wetthe positive and negative plates i3 and i4 and retain the requiredsurplus of electrolyte in the separators. After the positive andnegative plates l3 and and separators 43 have become saturated nofurther electrolyte will enter the cells 40 so that overfilling iseffectually prevented. As stated above. it is essential that no surpluselectrolyte be contained in the cells of the battery when it is usedwith a trial balloon as the battery is subjected to excessive swayingand tilting which would cause the excess electrolyte to spill from theopen tops of the cell-jars. With the form of cell-jar illustrated inFig. 8 thetotal supply of electrolyte is retained in mechanicalsuspension in the plates i3 and i4 and separators 43 and no surplus acidis present which might spill from the cells.

It will be observed from the foregoing specifinovel form of storagebattery adapted for use with trial balloons or for other purposesrequir- I cation that the present invention provides a V i. ii 3 weightand low cost ofmanufacture. It will be observed further that the batteryof the present invention provides for eliminating the danger ofshort-circuiting of'adjacent cells by seepage or spilling of theelectrolyte over the cell walls. It will be observed still further thatthe present invention provides a novel form of electrical coupleconstituting the positive and negative electrodes of adjacent cellscombined in a single unit.

While several forms of the invention are herein illustrated anddescribed it will be understood that further modifications may be madein the structure and arrangement of the parts thereof without departingfrom the spirit or scope or the invention. For instance, although thebattery illustrated has fifty cells it is to be understood that thenumber of cells may be increased or reduced in accordance withrequirements. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, Iclaim: a

1. In an electric storage battery for radio transmitting apparatus usedwith meteorological trial balloons. a unitary structure of insulatingmaterial comprising a series of individual cell- ;Iars' arranged inparallel rows and spaced apart both laterally and longitudinally of therows without contact at their sides, said cell-Jars connected at thebottom by an integral open-work grid consisting in longitudinal andlateral ribs of relatively narrow width and small depth spaced apartwith relatively large openings therebetween, electrodes in each jar, andan electrolyte in each jar, said openings in the bottom of the structureproviding for free passage of any electrolyte spilling or overflowingfrom the top of the jars in order to prevent leakage of electric currentover the surface of one cell to that of another.

2. In an electric storage battery for radio transmitting apparatus usedin meteorological trial balloons. a unitary structure of insulatingmaterial comprising a series of individual celljars arranged in parallelrows with spaces between their adjacent sides, said cell-iars connectedby an integral open-work grid consisting in longitudinally-extendingrails of relatively narrow width and small depth disposed centrally ofthe sides of the cell-jars at the bottom thereof to provide extendedopenings therebetween, the ends of said longitudinal railsbeing-connected by lateral rails spaced from the sides of the jars atthe ends of the rows, electrodes in each Jar, and an electrolyte in eachjar, said spaces between the cell-jars and the extended openings betweenthe rails at the bottom of the jars providing for drainage of anyelectrolyte spilling over the sides of the jars in order to preventleakage of electric current over the surface of one cell to that of anadjacent cell.

3. In an electric storage battery for radio transmitting apparatus usedin meteorological trial balloons, a plurality of individual cell-jarsarranged in parallel rows and spaced at a distance apart both laterallyand longitudinally, said cell-Jars Joined at the bottom by relativelynarrow ribs arranged centrally of the sides of thejars andformedintegral therewith, said ribs being of triangular shape incross-section tapered toward the top, electrodes in each Jar, and anelectrolyte in eachfjar, said spacing of the cell- Jars providing fordrainage of any electrolyte" spilled over the top thereof between thejars and said triangular shape of the connecting ribs also ing minimumsize, extreme compactness, light 76 tending to cause the electrolyte todrain from their sides to escape through the openings between the ribsin order to prevent the electrolyte from causing leakage of the electriccurrent from one cell to another.

in spaced relationship in the rows and with innally extending rows inspaced relationship, electrodes in each jar, and an electrolyte in eachjar,

4. In an electric storage battery, a unitary g said spacing of thecell-Jars preventing spillage grid-like frame of insulating materialcomprising a series of individual cell-jars arranged in parallel rowsand having depending stems joined to longitudinally extending railsconnecting the Jars or overflow of the electrolyte from short-circuitingadjacent cells.

ALBERT SETZER.

